Licensing & Attribution
This page covers the community's expectations around open-source licenses, how to properly credit the work of others, and what to do when building on top of existing mods.
Open-Source Requirement
All mods in this community must be open source. This means the full source code must be publicly available in a repository (e.g. GitHub) so that other community members can read, learn from, and verify it.
This is not just a courtesy; it is a condition of participation in this community. See Community Values for the reasoning behind this policy.
Choosing a License
You must include a license file in your repository. Without one, the default copyright law applies and nobody can legally reuse your code. Common choices:
| License | Allows reuse? | Requires attribution? | Requires open source derivatives? |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIT | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Apache 2.0 | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| LGPL v3 | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Partial |
| GPL v3 | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| AGPL v3 | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (includes network use) |
MIT is the most common choice in this community. It is permissive and easy to understand.
GPL v3 ensures that anyone who builds on your mod must also release their code under the same terms.
AGPL v3 goes further: it extends the copyleft requirement to software run over a network. If you want to ensure your code stays open even when used in server-side tools or services without direct distribution, AGPL v3 is the appropriate choice.
Whatever you choose, add a LICENSE file to the root of your repository.
Attributing Other Mods
If your mod directly incorporates code, logic, or assets from another mod:
- Check the license first. Not all open-source licenses allow all forms of reuse. GPL code in a non-GPL project is a license violation.
- Credit the original author in your
README.md, clearly stating what you used and who wrote it. - Link to the original repository.
- Respect any additional conditions the author has placed on use (e.g. asking to be contacted before forking).
Example README attribution block:
## Credits
- [OriginalMod](https://github.com/author/originalmod) by AuthorName - portions of the damage calculation logic are adapted from this project (MIT licence).Forking a Mod
Forking (copying a repo to modify and publish separately) is generally acceptable when:
- The license permits it (MIT, Apache, GPL all do)
- You give clear credit to the original author
- Your fork has a distinct name so players do not confuse it with the original
- You do not claim to be the original author
If the original mod is still actively maintained, consider opening a pull request instead of forking.
For abandoned mods specifically, see the Abandoned Mods policy.
Framework & Library Attribution
Several community frameworks are widely used. If your mod depends on them, include them in your credits and dependencies:
- BepInEx - the core modding framework. MIT licence.
- VCF (Vampire Command Framework) - if your mod adds commands via VCF, note this in your documentation.
Always link to the dependency's Thunderstore or GitHub page so users know what they are installing.
Thunderstore Manifest
Your manifest.json on Thunderstore should accurately list all mod dependencies. This is both a technical requirement (so mod managers can resolve them) and a form of attribution; it tells users and other developers what your mod builds on.
Content from Other Games or Media
Do not include assets (textures, audio, text, etc.) from other games or copyrighted media in your mod without explicit permission from the rights holder. V Rising mods are not exempt from general copyright law.
Questions
If you are unsure whether a particular use is appropriate, ask in the Discord before publishing.